by Richard van Pelt, WWI Correspondent

Events in Mexico dominated the headlines, with even a touch of irony:

Huerta Resigns and Carbajal Is Elected
President – Blanquet’s Threat To Take
Army From Him Forced Him To Let Go
He Took A Few Drinks With Friends and $6,000,000 as a Remembrance

Vera Cruz, Mex., July 16. – It was War Minister Blanquet who finally forced President Huerta to retire from the dictatorship of Mexico, according to information received from the capital today.

Foreign Minister Carbajal, who accepted his post with the understanding that Huerta was to step down in the former’s favor, expected the resignation would be sent to congress Monday. Saturday, however, as soon as Carbajal had taken the oath of office, Huerta began drinking.

He drank steadily throughout Saturday afternoon and continued to do so until lat at night at the Cafe Colon. Sunday he gave orders to his bodyguard not to follow him, and spent the day, still drinking, at the cafes of Chapultepec and El Globo. Fearing he might be assassinated, 20 secret service agents followed him about as inconspicuously as possible, despite his order to his bodyguard.

Editorially, the paper suggested that the United States should consider annexing Mexico if “other means have failed.”

Huerta resigned yesterday, and is attempting to get out of the country with a large amount of loot. His exit closes another chapter in Mexico’s bloody career, but the immediate future holds little promise of improved conditions. Next we may expect to hear of broils between the victorious rebel leaders, and the usual revolt against the government, no matter who is chosen to head the republic. The people ‘of Mexico are not capable of self-government and if it is the duty of the United States to take any interest at all in the situation below the Rio Grande, it should be in pursuance of a strong definite policy, which should mean the pacification of the country, through armed intervention and even annexation if that step is considered advisable when other means have failed.